Plus, I could use some more of those compliments.
“Sure,” I said carefully, turning to catch Mars’s eye. There was a glint in it, like he was ready to get up to something, and I almost changed my mind right then. But when he smiled and held my gaze, I relaxed a little more.
A distraction.I could definitely use it.
“What were you thinking?” I asked. “We could get coffee again.”
“Maybe,” he said. “Or we could just go for a drive. I’ve got my truck out front. Maybe you could show me around? Give me your version of Seattle?”
“My version of Seattle,” I said. “I guess so, although I don’t know how interesting it will be.”
“Just so long as I got a cutie like you in the passenger seat,” he answered, “I’ll be happy to cruise.”
* * *
Mars steered his truck around another steep corner, then lumbered to a stop at the intersection. After instructing him to drive past the best little grocery store in town, a hidden gem of a taqueria, and a couple of my favorite parks, we were finally back closer to Northstar.
“Let me get this straight,” I said. “You loveStar Trek, but you never even bother with other science fiction?”
“I told you,” he said. “Star Trekis my thing.”
I laughed. “I’m still not sure I get what that means, but okay.”
“You don’t have a thing?”
“Yeah,” I laughed. “Science fiction!”
“And being adorably sexy without realizing it.”
Another blush grew on my cheeks. Mars was good at doing that, it turns out. Like a magic trick. “I think we need to get you to the movie theater more often,” I said. “There’s a whole galaxy of sci-fi you haven’t seen yet.”
“Sure, take me to a movie sometime,” he said as he threw his arm over the back of my seat. “Maybe I’ll even luck out and get a peck on the cheek from you after.”
“Dare to dream,” I teased.
Mars chuckled. “Where to next? I’ve still got another couple of hours to kill before my plans tonight.”
“Let’s see. I could show you the good swimming spot, but that won’t really matter until next summer. My apartment is around the corner, so I know a lot—”
“Your place, perfect,” he interrupted me. “Show me that.”
“Oh no,” I laughed. “I can’t have you over to my place. That’s…”
“It’s what?” he asked quickly. “You think I’m going to steal your sci-fi novels or something?”
I realized I was actually more suspicious than I needed to be with Mars. Ezra was right. I had to stop carrying around the anxieties from my childhood and prove to myself that I had grown up and moved on. Sure, he was a player, and he had a rough past, but I knew he wasn’t going to go and rob my apartment or something ridiculous.
He was just trying to get in my pants.
“I guess we can stop by for a cup of tea or something,” I said.
“Check it out. You might actually be warming up to me.”
I laughed, then directed Mars the couple of blocks to my apartment. He paused in the front yard and glanced up at the squat building, which was divided into six apartment units. There were big windows on all sides and a generous yard out back.
“Cute place.”
“Wait until you see inside,” I said. “My friend Valeria does the decorating.”
